Chicago Traveler Blog

Chicago will soon Become THE Place to Sleep with a Virgin (Hotel)

After starting up a bevy of booming business ventures, The Virgin Group has finally decided to get its feet wet in the hotel industry.

Guess what trendy town they plan on losing their virginity in? That’s right, the 41-year-old Virgin has decided on none other then the seductive city of Chicago!

This comes as somewhat of a surprise considering when their hotel website first launched a year ago, Virgin hinted their first hotel would be located in either New York, San Francisco or Miami, but it was Chicago that ended up winning over Virgin’s first time.

The hotel will have an ideal location, right in the middle of Downtown, one block from the Chicago river. It’s in the Old Dearborn Bank Building (right side of picture) on the corner of Washbash Avenue and Lake Street.

The 27-story Art Deco building will be renovated and converted into a 250-room hotel with restaurants, lounges and a trendy interior.

Famed Virgin owner Richard Branson has said that his hotel will be “the hippest, most comfortable in any city.” And judging by his previous business endeavors (i.e. Virgin America, Virgin Mobile), we don’t doubt that’s exactly what he’ll deliver.

The company also plans to start opening hotels in several other cities including Los Angeles, New York and London, but luckily for us Chicagoans, this Virgin has chosen Chi-Town as its first.

The Virgin opening isn’t set until the fall of 2013. Until then, we’ll patiently await this exciting extravaganza.

What are your thoughts about the first Virgin Hotel opening in Chicago?